Conventional employment relationships operate on an accrued wages model in which workers perform their jobs, record their time and/or attendance (in some instances), and after some period of time are paid wages for a preceding pay period. While many workers have adequate funds to pay their monthly expenses, due to infrequent indulgences such as a vacation, unexpected medical expenses or even unexpected outlays such as car repairs, many workers either live paycheck to paycheck, or simply need additional funds temporarily to cover unanticipated costs. In most cases, consumers may resort to credit cards, which have high fees and interest rates, friends and family (which may or may not be available or practical), bank overdraft, pawn shops or even short-term loans such as payday loans or the like, which typically have outrageously high fees and interest rates. All the while, the employer essentially “owes” the employee a certain portion of her wages for worked performed, but because the end of the pay period has not yet arrived, the employee cannot access or use these owed monies. What is needed, therefore, are techniques and supporting systems that facilitate early access to earned and accrued wages in an efficient and cost-effective manner without unduly burdening the employer or affecting the employer's accounting practices.